AAKS is a Ghanian Handmade accessories brand. The focus of the brand is on handwoven handbags. Founder, Akosua Afriyie-Kumi believes in creating sustainable communities in Ghana, by empowering women and creating sustainable jobs that maintain Ghanian culture and tradition. The Ghanian handbag label is vibrant, sustainable, and chic.
Founder
AAKS, a signature label, has its name rooted in Founder Akosua Afriyie-Kumi’s initials. Alongside the AAKS brand, Akosua has amassed a breadth of knowledge in the fashion industry, she has a degree in Fashion from Kingston University in London and has links to 60 stores worldwide, including Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie who stock AAKS bags.
Production
AAKS creations are fabricated by local artisan weavers in the northern region of Ghana. These women have great knowledge of the traditional weaving techniques, and in a mélange with contemporary fashion styles, the AAKS handbags are slowly woven into creation. Not only are they ethically produced, but the brand ensures the materials are used with minimal waste. All handbags are made using a mix of ecologically harvested raffia and leather with a constant exploration of new ecological materials for new collections. Each raffia is used to its utmost capacity, keeping scraps for smaller bags to make sure as much of the material as possible is used. Each bag is created in a seven-day period which concludes with a signature tag to prove authenticity.
Each collection silhouette tells a different story through detail, colour and shape. Already singled out by Vogue Italia as an extraordinary emerging brand from Africa, AAKS represents a stunning tradition—levelled up. Weavers at the AAKS workshop in Bolgataga Village twist and dye raffia in AAKS’s signature vibrant colors by hand, then use a hybrid of traditional techniques and modern construction elements to construct each collection.
Below are some pieces from the brands latest S/S ’22 Collection:
AAKS – Handcrafted Raffia Bags (@a.a.k.s) • Instagram photos and videos
